


Bright Lights

by mermaidinamanhole



Category: American Werewolf in London (1981)
Genre: 1980s, Best Friends, Canon Jewish Character, Fluff, Friendship/Love, Hanukkah, Holidays, Hot Chocolate, Jewish Holidays, M/M, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-16
Updated: 2020-12-16
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:34:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28107111
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mermaidinamanhole/pseuds/mermaidinamanhole
Summary: After David Kessler and Jack Goodman survive their winter finals, they celebrate their well-earned break by spending the first night of Hanukkah together. Food is eaten, gifts are given, and happy memories are made.
Relationships: Jack Goodman/David Kessler
Kudos: 7





	Bright Lights

**Author's Note:**

> My first post on this platform, also my first time writing full-on fluff so I apologize if it is too saccharine. Also, David and Jack's relationship in this story could be interpreted as friendship or more than friendship, that's up to the reader.

It was the first night of Hanukkah, a day that David Kessler and Jack Goodman were always excited for. When Hanukkah began each year, the boys got a bit of a break from the bombardment of Christmas everywhere around New York City, even if that just meant having a quiet holiday time in the comfort of their own home. Not only that, but their families had spent Hanukkah together for years (at the pleas of the boys as children), and there was the fun of playing dreidel, eating as much fried food as you wanted, and opening gifts; all beneath the light of the menorah. The two of them had already bought a dozen sufganiyot from their favorite kosher bakery, and gone to David’s childhood home to pick up a large tupperware full of latkes lovingly made by David’s mother. After a long chat with David’s parents who checked in on their son and his friend about school and other casual conversation topics; and Mrs. Kessler convincing David to take one of his old jackets because it was just freezing outside, one for Jack too, of course, the boys were on their way back home. 

David and Jack rode the subway back to the NYU campus, where their dormitory was. They got off at their stop, Hanukkah food in hand, as well as some hot chocolate mix that Jack had convinced David to buy when they stopped by the grocery store to buy some gelt. Although the cold air bit at them through their scarves and jackets, their spirits were high, because they were going to be spending yet another Hanukkah together, and that was the best part of it all. 

Jack turned the key and pushed their door open, greeted with the warmth of the room; not just physical warmth from the heating unit that ran through their building, but genuine happiness and love. 

Most of their day was spent doing nothing, in the best way possible. NYU had been on winter break for about a week now, since they had plenty of international and out-of-state students who left to return home for the holidays. Because of this, there wasn’t any schoolwork and the students who stayed in town were left with ample time. Both David and Jack did some last-minute gift wrapping, making an effort to keep the contents of their packages to each other a secret, despite their small living space. David even wrapped his gifts out in the dorm hallway, to the confusion of a couple straggling freshman who walked by the strange tableau. Jack sat on his bed, Stephen King paperback in hand, completely engrossed. After his gifts were wrapped, David returned inside their little apartment, smiling at the sight of his friend so content, especially after the particularly hellish round of finals the two of them had faced just a week or two before. 

As the sun began to set, David and Jack began to prepare for the start of the holiday, as Hanukkah, like most Jewish holidays, began after sunset. David reheated the delicious potato pancakes his mother made, as Jack set the sufganiyot onto a platter and poured the gelt into a small bowl. They laughed through the prayers as they lit the menorah. It was most definitely not a malicious or mocking laugh, though; it was the laugh of two lifelong friends who, even after witnessing the other’s voice crack during the torah reading at his bar mitzvah, or a particularly bad test grade on the other’s report card, did not think any differently of each other. 

After the candles had burnt down to waxy stubs, David relocated to the ratty old couch, wrapping himself in a blanket, and Jack was in the kitchenette making some hot chocolate with the mix they had purchased earlier that day. 

“Hey, Jack, remember when you fell asleep watching Fiddler on the Roof back in Hebrew school?” David asked across the room. 

“David, it was three hours long!” Jack laughed, happy to reminisce about times spent together. “What made you think about that?” 

“Oh, well I was just thinking about how there isn’t many movies for the Hanukkah season, and that reminded me of watching Fiddler on the Roof.” 

“Ah. There’s so many Christmas movies, why shouldn’t us Jews get a couple?” Jack agreed. “Although, I am partial to those Rankin-Bass holiday specials.” he finished. At that point, Jack returned to the couch with two mugs of steaming hot chocolate, giving one to David. He set his mug on the small coffee table and plopped down onto the couch, tugging at the blanket, prompting David to pull the blanket over both of them. It was so nice on that little couch, so warm and happy and safe. The two of them sighed at the same time, Jack reaching for another sip of his warm drink. 

“We should open some gifts, y’know, before we fall asleep!” David suggested, lifting himself off of the couch. 

“Mhm, sure!” Jack said, stuffing another sufganiyah into his mouth. He drew open the curtains of the small window. From their room, you could see the campus. It was pretty quiet, as most people were either off campus for the holidays or asleep. If the few people that were still roaming weren’t there, NYU could be considered a ghost town. Beyond the campus stood the tall skyscrapers of New York City. The campus courtyard was illuminated by the radiant lights coming from the so-called “city that never sleeps”, almost a larger scale of their own little room which was lit by the menorah. 

David had made two stacks of gifts, one for him and the other for Jack. He sat cross-legged on the carpeted floor, and Jack joined him. The two of them both grabbed the top gift of their respective stacks, ripping open the colorful paper in unison. Jack’s mother had knitted him a somewhat oversized but comfortable looking sweater. It had been made with yarn in Jack’s favorite color- an earthy green, and stitched together with black. He slipped on the sweater over his college t-shirt, laughing a little when he saw that the sleeves went past his fingertips. 

“Your mom knitted you a sweater, huh?” David remarked, having noticed his friend’s slight change in wardrobe. 

“Yep! It’s a nice color, don’t you think?” Jack responded. “What’d you get?” 

“Oh, Max and Rachel got me this,” David smiled as he held up a small stuffed doll of Kermit the Frog. “They gave me a little card with it which said they miss watching The Muppet Show with me back at home. I like this little guy!” he waved to Jack using one of Kermit’s little green hands, causing Jack to grin uncontrollably. 

Soon, they were tearing open the rest of their gifts. Although it was only the first night of Hanukkah, David and Jack opened their gifts as they pleased, as it wasn’t hurting anybody. They went through the ones from friends and family fairly quick, it was all pretty standard stuff: money from parents, gift certificates and dining hall coupons from friends. David rolled his eyes as he opened a box to find a roll of novelty condoms, given to him by a nearby fraternity along with a note that read: "Eight nights, eight chances to get LAID!!!" Although this was a ridiculous gift and demonstrated that the frat boys probably knew next to nothing about Hanukkah, David still appreciated that they had even made an effort at all. 

“What’s that?!” Jack asked, an amused expression crossing his face.

“Oh, just some condoms from the guys over at Omega Phi Alpha,” David replied, smiling as he rolled his eyes. That made Jack start shaking with laughter, and soon, the two of them were practically rolling around on the floor. 

“David, open mine!” he said excitedly, pointing at the remaining gift. David nodded, tearing off the paper to reveal a brand new Sony Walkman. Jack smiled at him, sipping his hot chocolate. PG  
“My own walkman? I’ve wanted one so bad, ever since I saw that display at the department store! Thanks, Jack!” 

“No problem, buddy, I’ll buy you a couple casette tapes to go with that next time we go to Macy’s!” 

“I want to see you open mine.” David said. Jack came over, eager to open the small box. He took the box from David’s hand, tearing the blue paper off, and opening the box. PG  
Lying in the box were a pair of plane tickets. 

Seeing the tickets and where they were to made Jack audibly gasp. Bristol Airport, 12:00 PM, February 26, 1981, the tickets read. Immediately, he pulled David in close for a hug. This was it, they were finally going to take their dream trip. 

“Oh my god, how long have we been planning this trip, the ninth grade?? I’m so excited.” Jack’s voice faltered, as if he were about to cry. To avoid embarrassing himself, he grabbed the two empty hot chocolate mugs and put them in the small sink. 

“I know, we’ll finally be able to travel Europe together, it’ll be perfect, Jack.” David replied, his voice a bit shaky as well. Jack sat back down on the couch with David, wriggling under the soft blanket and feeling the warmth of his best friend. The menorah had burnt all the way down by this point, and the room had grown quiet. Not the uncomfortable quiet, more of a quiet contentness. Both David and Jack were fast asleep, hands clasped and hearts beating together. 

They woke up like that, holding hands, shoulders touching, and the future ahead of them.


End file.
